


A Summer In The Lightning Country

by eos_3



Category: Naruto
Genre: 30 Kisses Challenge, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, F/M, Incomplete, Mission Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2006-09-15
Updated: 2006-09-15
Packaged: 2018-03-03 00:29:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2831543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eos_3/pseuds/eos_3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kakashi convinces Sakura to join him on a mission to the Lightning Country, though concentrating on work is difficult in such tempting company.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not An Accessory

**Author's Note:**

> 30 Kisses Theme#30: Kiss
> 
> A/N: There is a longer story here, and these are the first four bits, unfortunately my other 30 kisses themes led me astray from the plot, not to mention everything else that is going on. I don't know if I'll ever finish it (and maybe that's a good thing.)
> 
> A/N 2: The story begins, assuming these two have been in a relationship for about a year. Sakura is 23, Kakashi is 37.

"I want you to come with me," he said.

As they sat at her kitchen table, Kakashi watched Sakura flip through the thin sheaf of papers he'd handed to her. They constituted the details of the latest A-rank mission Tsunade had dumped off on him. The ranking had more to do with the fee involved, a little bit of politics and the skill-level of the nin needed by the contractor. And jounin didn't come cheap any way you looked at it.

“Very well. I'll do it,” she replied. So now it was her misson as well. Her face betrayed little, but he knew she was still debating in her head whether she was making a good decision.

It was a four-month contract in Lightning Country, playing bodyguard for a rediculously wealthy gangster who was on the outs with one of his equally wealthy gangster brothers. Naturally, they were trying to kill each other. Tsunade wanted to make sure the entire fee was collected, so of course she had sent a bird for him the moment he got home. Sometimes he wished he weren't so reliable.

Hopefully the Godaime wasn't planning to skim off the fee to gamble with. “Are you sure?”

Sakura leaned over and kissed him. A light simple kiss, like the brush of a paper flower across the lips. His lips, as he never wore his mask when they were alone together. She slept in his bed, and knew where every scar on his body was, there was no point in hiding his face.

“Things won't get any better between you and me, unless one of us makes a some kind of compromise. You said Tsunade had approved your request. I may not be completely dispensible, but apparently I can be spared for a while from the hospital.”

Kakashi still couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. “Ah. Well, you know I think of it as a viable solution, not a compromise. You're my partner, not my accessory in this. I only want you to do it if you're completely certain you want to come. I could be going with another person, and I don't want to take you from something more important, but I prefer it if you were the one with me.”

Setting the mission packet down in front of her on the table, Sakura looked at him squarely folding her hands. “Being with you or my duty to the village. How do you expect me to measure that? You know perfectly well there's no comparison."

Had she changed her mind already? "Sakura-"

She shook her head, "But I'll be the first to admit I need a break in routine. Tsunade's being permissive, so I'd be an idiot not to take the opportunity. Even if it's not an ideal situation.” Bodyguard missions were almost always long and unremittingly boring. It didn't help that they'd be protecting a scumball and his retainers from other scumballs. Also, keeping this type of employer from trying to interpret the terms of the contract according to his current needs, was a great hassle. Tallying that with the fact that they'd be going to the Lightning Country, which was still on bad terms with the Fire Country, and that the weather was by and large wet and tumultuous... No, it was not ideal at all.

"Not the best way to get away together, I agree, but I'll take what I can get." He grinned at her. They'd finally have some time together alone with no one pounding on the door every other hour from the hospital or the Hokage's office. “Whatever time I have while we're gone, it's yours.” He didn't say, 'I promise,' as he'd had a bad habit of breaking promises in the past.

Damn it all, he didn't want to lose her.

"I'm going to hold you to that," she said, flicking a lock of pink hair back over her shoulder.

"I'd be dissapointed if you didn't."


	2. Drifting Islands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been peaceful at sea, but with the shore approaching, their quiet time together has to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 30 Kisses Theme#1:look over here

Things were looking up.

They were on board a ship headed for the southern coast of the Lightning Country - had been for a few days now - and he and Sakura were getting used to the rhythms of the sea. Fortunately, neither of them got motion illness, so their time was passing more or less pleasantly.

Particularly the nights. Kakashi hadn't realized how much he'd missed her. It would seem that it was mutual. The distance that had grown between them over the past six months had evaporated.

He supposed she was right. It really was the fact that they never had enough time together.

“Take a look over here, Sakura,” he said, leaning on the rail of the ship. They'd been walking off their supper, both restless with excess energy and avoiding the repressive heat and confinement below decks. Above them, the summer sun was filtering through the clouds just so, and it looked as if there were rocky islands floating above them in the pink and red of the sunset. She liked these sorts of things, so he felt compelled to point them out to her.

She took in the view gladly, and then turned to look him in the eye. He leaned down a little and rubbed his nose with hers. She gasped and then laughed. Such a look of delight. How could he resist an opportunity to awaken that in her? Time together like this was so rare and valuable.

Only one more day until they arrived. They weren't traveling openly as shinobi, especially not Konoha nin. Relations between the nin of the Cloud and the Leaf were even poorer than those the leaders of their respective countries had. This added another dimension of danger to the mission, since they couldn't get caught working a contract here. So gone were his fatigues, gloves and the mask, and he'd put on the eyepatch out of his disguise kit. Most of their equipment was stowed in scrolls packed in special compartments of their luggage. He felt a bit naked without ten or so kunai scattered about his person – and without something hiding most of his face.

“What's wrong?” Sakura said, noticing some change in the tenor of his expression. He wasn't precisely dreading this mission ahead of them. More that he wished uselessly for time to slow down.

"The opposite shore is getting much too close. I don't much care to see it," he said. Though it would be well into mid-day tomorrow until land actually appeared on the horizon.

She leaned against his shoulder, and her hand covered his on the railing, squeezing it. One more sunset.


	3. Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura wants Kakashi's attention just for a moment, and isn't beyond using little tricks to get it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 30 Kisses Theme#29: the sound of waves

Sakura could still hear the sound of waves through the open door of the tiny customs office where their passports were being checked. It was a fairly small town for a port, the people laid back and unhurried, the weather balmy and bright. A long white beach stretched out to the west of the bay, where the rolling water seemed temptingly close. Really an apt place for the vacation they were claiming to be on.

As husband and wife, though under assumed names.

That didn't bother her so much. The fact that Kakashi seemed to take for granted that she'd accept playing the part, did. They'd been lovers for a year and a half, she'd learned quite a lot about him - perhaps even things he didn't realize himself. For one, that the confidence he displayed so readily in combat as an elite jounin, didn't necessarily transfer to intimacy. She had no doubts that he loved her, but occasionally it seemed as if he was a little uncertain with her, afraid of saying or doing something that might scare her off.

Almost as if he held back something more intense, something deeper. They'd never discussed marriage before, not even in passing or as a joke. It was completely uncharted territory for both of them. Sakura wondered if Kakashi ever considered asking her, or merely thought that since she didn't complain, she liked things the way they were.

Well, she could always ask him. She'd really gotten quite attached to him, old pervert that he was.

As they watched the withered, dark-skinned woman at the desk silently scratch down their information on her record sheet, Sakura could tell Kakashi was getting bored. He was moments away from pulling out one of those dreadful erotic romances he favored. There were only a few things that could stop him once he had his nose in a book, and ninety percent of them weren't appropriate in public. She'd have to do something surreptitious very quickly.

It was an old trick, but she thought he might go for it. Sakura pretended to fidget with her hair, undoing one of her enameled barrettes and then allowing it to drop to the floor. It landed perfectly in front of his feet.

Now if she timed this just right...

She bent over just a second after he did, sliding one arm around his back, to avoid conking her head on his, and quickly nosed up against his ear to catch the lobe with her mouth. Biting it very lightly, only to pull away with teeth and tongue, this had the effect stopping him before he stood up again. It also elicited a noise indicating she'd pay for catching him off-guard later. In a good way.

Standing back up to face her, Kakashi's heavy-lidded eye was narrowed as he handed her the barrette, but his overall expression was one of amusement. Mission accomplished. He really wasn't that difficult to please.

The old woman in front of them was oblivious to their exchange, and moments later handed back their passports, a couple of other accompanying papers, and a pamphlet for the tourist office two doors down. Sakura flipped through the pamphlet on the way out, trying to give the impression of interest in the attractions. She did want to hunt down some supper, and perhaps they'd have time to get a bit of rest before heading out again. They had to meet their contact in the next town by noon tomorrow. And then they'd probably have to travel by coach or train to the-

“Eeep!”

Kakashi had just goosed her.


	4. The Signal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi isn't all that surprised, and Sakura's playing along just fine, but things are about to get dangerous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 30 Kisses Theme#2: news;a letter

Pt. 4 - The Signal

Reaching over to where she sat next to him in the booth, Kakashi pinched Sakura's side at her non-existent love handles. “How is it you can eat so many sweets and never get fat?” he said, narrowing his eye at the plate of dango in between them. Nothing wrong with dango in moderation, but he'd rather have rice or a bit of fish. Neither were available at this little shop, so he contented himself by teasing her between sips of tea.

“Lots of sex,” she said, licking the syrup off of one of the dumplings salaciously. His heart jumped a little in his chest, and she grinned at him like the minx she was as his face heated.

Under his skin, she was definitely under his skin...

He let her nibble for a moment and then pulled her yelping up over onto his lap, her knees scraping the underside of the table.

“We're in public,” she said in a harsh whisper, leaning down against him as if to make their profile less visible. Daylight streamed through the windows, their booth was near the door and there were several other patrons. Yes, they were indisputably in public.

“I know,” his eyelid was lowered at her, but he was grinning.

“We're meeting our contact here.”

“I know,” he said lightly, but holding her fast.

“He'll be here in a minute and you're going to get us kicked out.”

“I highly doubt that,” he said, nuzzling her hair, which smelled of something herbal and vaguely sweet. Rosemary maybe?

“What if I say I don't like how you're being?” she pouted. As much of a pout as Sakura could give him with that narrow pink mouth. Really, she just ended up looking slightly angry - there was only a subtle difference with her. She had quite a temper, and he sometimes caught himself playing on the edge of it just to see how far he could push her.

Kakashi was certain that he'd never seen her really furious at him. He didn't know what the repercussions would be if it happened, though it wasn't likely he'd get the simple beatdown that she favored Naruto with. “I highly doubt that, too.”

He pushed his luck again and ran his hand up her leg under her skirt. She couldn't clamp her thighs together because of the way she was sitting, but he just tickled the inside of her leg a little. She was already grinding against him enough.

“Kakashi!” she hissed near his ear.

“Careful,” he said, and she realized her slip. Her face went pale and she looked even more mortified than when he'd manhandled her up against him moments ago. He went by Takeshi around here, so it really wasn't that much of a problem. Unless a Cloud hunter-nin was sitting right next to them, or she did it again, which she wouldn't.

“If someone weren't trying to make it hard for me to think straight, maybe that wouldn't be a problem.”

“Kiss me,” he said, chuckling.

“Don't you think we should-”

“Just kiss me,” he said, and she did.

While Sakura was distracted, a bald man brushed through the blue and white sign cloths, into the the shop, his dark eyes sweeping the room. He immediately headed for their booth and slid in across from them.

Sakura's eyes widened, giving him a look which plainly read, 'Don't tell me that was the signal,' and she wiggled out of his grasp. Kakashi didn't have time to apologize, as he was rather surprised that he recognized the man who had joined them. The contact was dressed rather better than the last time they'd met, in a fine robe and suit instead of the sackcloth longshirt he'd been dragged away in. This should be interesting.

“Kotoma. Heh, I thought you were in jail,” Kakashi said, just loud enough for the three of them to hear.

The man's eyes glinted with unpleasant accusations.“And I thought you were dead, Takeshi. I guess there are a lot of surprises out there.” Kotoma's lip curled. “Like your nice piece of ass there. She along for the ride?”

Kakashi felt rather than saw Sakura tense next to him, since she was to his left. “You may call me Saki-san - if you absolutely must speak to me,” she said, no doubt slicing and dicing the interloper with her eyes. Kakashi grinned internally. He didn't know why this asshole was working for their employer too, but they both had a job to do, and he really didn't have much of a grudge against Kotoma.

As long as the man didn't sell him out to the Cloud... Again.

Well, there was always that risk while they were here, so things weren't much changed at all. Or maybe the gangster behind this was smarter than Kakashi had surmised - sending this cretin who'd dealt with Konoha nin before, to make sure the deal was genuine.

Sakura had settled back on the bench, and was eating her dango in quiet rage, while Kakashi considered his words. “Never mind that, your boss did ask for two people, right?”

“Yeah, if Pinky there counts as a whole person.” Kotoma put his hand up his opposite sleeve, and pulled out a piece of folded paper - an envelope. “This is from the boss. A bit of news. There have been a few changes in plan he says.”

Opening the letter without commenting, Kakashi scanned the hastily scrawled message and frowned.

“Let's go,” he said, without explaining the contents to either of them. This was one of those times he'd have to plan on the fly. Hopefully, Sakura wouldn't ask too many questions.

It wasn't often a man came to him carrying the orders for his own death. 


End file.
